Bureau of Reclamation makes preparations to keep Lake Powell afloat amid dire drought conditions in Colorado River basin

Bureau of Reclamation makes preparations to keep Lake Powell afloat amid dire drought conditions

With a historic drought hitting the Colorado River basin, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is making preparations to slow releases from the river’s largest reservoir while increasing withdrawals from an Upper Basin reservoir.  “Given the severity of the risks facing the Colorado River system, it is imperative that we take action quickly to protect a resource that supplies water to 40 million people and supports vital agricultural, hydropower produ…

Bureau of Reclamation makes preparations to keep Lake Powell afloat amid dire drought conditions in Colorado River basin

With a historic drought hitting the Colorado River basin, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is making preparations to slow releases from the river’s largest reservoir while increasing withdrawals from an Upper Basin reservoir.  “Given the severity of the risks facing the Colorado River system, it is imperative that we take action quickly to protect a resource that supplies water to 40 million people and supports vital agricultural, hydropower produ…

Feds to release Flaming Gorge water to support Lake Powell, as new hazards emerge

The federal government is intending to release a substantial amount of water from Flaming Gorge to support Lake Powell.

U.S.'s 2nd-biggest water reservoir to get a short-term fix amid Colorado River drought

The Trump administration announced emergency measures to send water from reservoirs high in the river basin to those downstream in the wake of a historically dry Rocky Mountain winter.

Feds want to cut back water releases from Lake Powell in response to Colorado River drought

The Bureau of Reclamation announced Friday it aims to reduce Lake Powell water releases to 6 million acre-feet, the lowest amount in decades.

Feds order Flaming Gorge drop to save imperiled Lake Powell from potential structural failure

by Dustin Bleizeffer, WyoFile Federal officials formally announced Friday they will draw an extra 660,000 to 1 million acre-feet of water from Flaming Gorge Reservoir on the Wyoming-Utah border over the next 12 months to prevent downstream Lake Powell from dropping below “minimum power pool” the point at which it could no longer produce power.  The desperate move is in response to projections that show Lake Powell, “without major intervention,” …